Flushing unit

ABSTRACT

A flushing system, especially for toilet installations, with a valve body normally pressed against a valve seat by fluid under pressure, and with a cylinder-piston system, the cylinder chamber of which, is adapted to receive fluid under pressure, in which conduit means adapted to convey fluid under pressure to said cylinder chamber extends coaxially with regard to the cylinder axis through said valve body and through a piston rod connected to the piston of said cylinder piston system, while an auxiliary valve interposed in said conduit means is operable from a point outside the housing containing the flushing system.

United States Patent 11 1 Gulich 1 FLUSHING UNIT [76] inventor: Tore Gulich, Marie Dalsvagen 48D,

[56] References Cited UN lTED STATES PATENTS Griffin 251/39 Mercier ..251/39 45] Apr. 24, 1973 3,495,619 2/1970 lizumi ..251/39 X Primary Examiner-Arnold Rosenthal Attorney-Walter Becker 57 ABSTRACT A flushing system, especially for toilet installations, with a valve body normally pressed against a valve seat by fluid under pressure, and with a cylinderpiston system, the cylinder chamber of which, is adapted to receive fluid under pressure, in which conduit means adapted to convey fluid under pressure to said cylinder chamber extends coaxially with regard to the cylinder axis through said valve body and through a piston rod connected to the piston of said cylinder piston system, while an auxiliary valve interposed in said conduit means is operable from a point outside the housing containing the flushing system.

11 Claims, 1 Drawing Figure Patented April 24, 1973 3,729,167

"5 105a I19 145 v 115 III m9 117 /v lnventor:

' Tare ZV/c FLUSHING UNIT In the copending application Ser. No. 865,042 filed Oct. 8, 1969, now US. Pat. No. 3,586,288, there has been described a flushing device especially for toilet installations with a valve body which is pressed by a fluid medium against its seat and which is movable by means of a rigidly connected coaxial actuating piston. The

said flushing device is furthermore provided with an actuating cylinder which contains said piston and the upper cylinder space of which is adapted to receive a 'flushing medium under pressure through throttle means with an auxiliary valve and through a passage, said passage also being adapted to be connected with a discharge. The said flushing device furthermore comprises a distributing chamber located between the valve body and the cylinder bottom and surrounding the piston rod, said distributing chamber communicating through bores with the lower cylinder chamber and the outlet for the flushing means.

It is an object of the present invention to improve the pressure water flushing device as described in the above mentioned copending application, especially to simplify the design thereof and to make it more compact while reducing the necessary actuating forces so that the installation of the device will be facilitated and the flushing device can be actuated by smaller initiating ing piston. The said flushing device furthermore comprises an actuating cylinder having said piston movable therein while the upper cylinder chamber with an auxiliary valve is adapted to receive a flushing medium under pressure through a passage, said passage being adapted through a throttle to be connected with a discharge. Said flushing device is, in conformity with the present invention, characterized primarily in that the passage feeding the upper cylinder chamber extends coaxially with regard to the cylinder axis through the valve body and the piston rod. Moreover, the said passage contains an auxiliary valve which is adapted to be actuated by handle means protruding from the valve housing. Preferably, a portion'of the piston rod extends into the upper cylinder chamber and is connected thereto through openings in the wall.

A further advantageous development of the present invention consists in that a bolt connected to the cylinder cover extends into the upper piston rod portion which is of tubular shape, while the piston rod is guided on said bolt. Advantageously, the above mentioned handle means is, for purposes of actuating the auxiliary valve in the piston rod, movably and sealingly guided in the bolt extending downwardly from the cylinder cover.

Referring now to the drawings in detail, the flushing device for controlling a flushing liquid under pressure comprises a housing 118, a cylinder 106, 107, a

cylinder cover 130, a cylinder bottom 120, and the inlet and outlet 117 for the flushing fluid. The said inlet 125 and outlet 117 lead into the fluid distributing chamber 116 which, through bores 119 in the cylinder bottom 120, communicates with the lower portion 107 of the cylinder 106, 107.

The inlet 125 and the passages 125e, 125d, provided therein are adapted to be closed by the valve 102 by means of a pipe 149 which is fixedly connected to the piston rod 105. The piston rod 105 is two-sectional. The lower portion 105a has a coaxial bore in which there is connected pipe 149, the upper mouth of which is adjacent to a hollow chamber. The tubular upper portion which has radial openings 139 leading into the upper portion of cylinder 106 is fixedly connected to the lower portion 105a of the piston rod 105. Connected to the surface of the upper portion of the piston rod is an actuating piston 104 which is reciprocable in the cylinder 106, 107 and the bottom side of which is acted upon by a pressure spring 136 resting against the cylinder bottom 120.

Where the upper portion of the piston rod 105 merges with the lower portion 105a there is located an auxiliary valve 124 which has a ball-shaped valve body 109. This valve body 109 is connected to a needleshaped end of an actuating rod 142 which extends through the valve opening. The actuating rod 142 which is pulled by a pressure spring 148 into the closing position of valve 124 is guided in a bore 141 while being sealed with regard to saidbore by means of a sealing ring 143. Bore 141 extends coaxially through a bolt which extends along the cylinder axis from the cylinder cover 130 into the upper cylinder chamber 106. The tubular upper portion of the piston rod 105 is guided on the cylindrical surface of bolt 140, while said bolt 140 extends into piston rod 105. The lower portion 105a of piston rod 105 is guided in a bore of the cylinder bottom 120 which by means of a spring ring 147 is held on a shoulder of the cylinder 106, 107. In the wall of the upper cylinder chamber 106 there is provided a throttle opening 127 which, through a bore 129 extending through the wall of cylinder 106, 107, is provided with the outlet 117 for the flushing fluid. For purposes of initiating a flushing operation, the actuating rod 142 is subjected to pressure by hand, a magnet,

or a thermostat. In this connection, only the relatively small returning force of spring 148 and the pressure of the flushing fluid acting upon the small ballof the valve body 109 have to be overcome. The fluid passing through the auxiliary valve 124 passes through the outlet openings 139 of piston rod 105 into the upper cylinder chamber 106. In view of the water pressure thus building up, the piston 104 with the piston rod 105 slides downwardly against the thrust of spring 136 and frees the passage of the flushing liquid to the outlet 117 at the valve seat 115. A pressure equalization occurs in the lower portion of the cylinder 107 through bores 119 in the cylinder bottom 120. The pressure drop through the discharge of the flushing fluid from the discharge opening 117 is so high that the pressure building up in the upper portion 106 of the cylinder will be sufficient to move the piston 104 downwardly against the thrust of spring 136 and against the pressure in the lower cylinder chamber 107. The correspondingly selected space 150 between the coupling 151 on the actuating rod 142 and the cylinder cover will prevent the auxiliary valve 124 from closing automatically in view of the downward movement of the piston rod 105. In this connection, it is ofiparticular importance that'the opening position of the valve body 102 can be selected by the opening width of the auxilia- I presses the piston 104 downwardly until the auxiliary valve 124 is closed. Thereupon the pressure in the upper cylinder chamber 106 drops in view of the throttle means 127 until the forces of the pressure spring 136 acting upon the bottom side of the piston and the forces of the pressure exerted by the flushing medium are able again to press the piston 104 upwardly. As a result thereof, the auxiliary valve 124 is opened again so that new flushing liquid can enter the upper cylinder chamber 106. -ln-this way, the piston 104 swings back into the respectively selected position of the ballshaped valve body 109. When the flushing operation has been completed, the ball-shaped valve body 109 is, by means of the return spring 148, pulled back onto the seat of the auxiliary valve 124. Since no further flushing medium can enter the upper cylinder chamber, the pressure prevailing in the upper portion 106 of the cylinder decreases in view of the throttle means 127. The outflowing flushing liquid is discharged through bore 129 provided in wall 144 of cylinder 106, 107 and passes to the outlet 117. Piston 104 and piston rod 105 connected thereto will now slide upwardly under the influence of the return spring 136 and under the influence of the flushing pressure prevailing at the bottom side 135 of the, piston. Simultaneously, the actuating rod 142 is pulled upwardly by the return spring 148 so that the auxiliary valve 124 remains closed. As soon as the valve body 102 engages the valve seat 115, the flushing operation is finished.

It is, of course, to be understood that the present invention is, by no means, limited to the particular'showing in the drawing, but also comprises any modifications within the scope of the appended claims.

What I claim is:

1.. A flushing device, especially for toilet installations, which includes: cylinder means having a cylinder cover and also having firstchamber means with fluid outlet means and with inlet means including an inlet valve for controlling the inlet of water under pressure into said first chamber means, said inlet valve comprising a valve seat and a main valve member for cooperation with said valve seat, said cylinder means also having second chamber means and spring support partition means including passage means establishing communication between portions of said first chamber means, piston rod means substantially coaxial with and reciprocable in said cylinder means, piston means,

coaxial with and connected to said piston rod means so as to form a reciprocable unit therewith, said piston means slidably engaging the inside of said cylinder means and alone dividing the latter into a volume variable first chamber adjacent said partition means and into a volume variable second chamber adjacent said cylinder 7 cover, guiding means connected to said, cylinder cover and extending into said second chamber means while being substantially coaxial with said' cylinder means, said 'pist'o'n rod means having a first section with a piston rod chamber therein and a closing wall closing said piston rod chamber and facing toward said guiding means, said piston rod means also having a second tubular section telescopically engaging said guiding means, said closing wall having a passage therethrough with a valve seat and an auxiliary valve member selectively closing said last mentioned passage and opening the same for controlling the fluid communication between said piston rod chamber and the interior of said second piston rod section, said second piston rod section being provided with auxiliary passage means for continuously establishing communication between the interior of said second piston rod section and said second cylinder chamber, pipe means interconnecting said main valve member and said first piston rod section and operable to establish fluid connection between said inlet means and said piston rod chamber, throttling means arranged in the'wall of said second cylinder chamber and communicating with said outlet means, actuating means extending through said guiding means and connected to said auxiliary valve member and operable selectively to move the same away from and onto said valve seat in said closing wall, and spring means associated with said actuating means and continuously urging said auxiliary valve member through said actuating means into position for automatically closing said passage through said closing wall.

2'. A device according ,to claim 1, in which said tubular section of said piston rod means extends into said second cylinder chamber.

3. A device according to claim 1, in which said two sections of said piston rod means form separate members connected to each other, and in which said auxiliary valve member is provided in the region where said two sections are connected to each other.

4. A device according to claim 1, in which said guiding means forms a bolt extending into the tubular section of said piston rod means.

5. A device according to claim 1, in which a portion of said piston rod means extends into said first chamber means and has a streamlined surface contour.

6. A device according to claim 1, in which'said guiding means has an axial passage therethrough, and in which said actuating means comprises a rod passing through said axial passage, sealing means arranged in,

said guiding means sealingly surrounding said rod.

7. A device according to claim 4, in which the outer end of said bolt is provided with a recess and in which the outer end of said actuating means is provided with knob means, spring means being interposed between said knob means and the bottom of said recess.

8.A device according to claim 1, in which that end of said actuating means which is adjacent said auxiliary valve member is needle-shaped and firmly connected to said auxiliary valve member.

9. A device according to claim 1, in which the wall of said cylinder means comprises a bore extending substantially parallel to the axis of said cylinder means and establishing communication between said throttling means and sait outlet means.

10. A device according to claim 1, in which said main valve member has a streamlined contour and in which the valve seat of said inlet valve has a conical surface for cooperation with said main valve member.

11. A device according to claim 1, which includes 5 spring means arranged in said first cylinder chamber and continuously urging said piston means in a direction away from said partition means. 

1. A flushing device, especially for toilet installations, which includes: cylinder means having a cylinder cover and also having first chamber means with fluid outlet means and with inlet means including an inlet valve for controlling the inlet of water under pressure into said first chamber means, said inlet valve comprising a valve seat and a main valve member for cooperation with said valve seat, said cylinder means also having second chamber means and spring support partition means including passage means establishing communication between portions of said first chamber means, piston rod means substantially coaxial with and reciprocable in said cylinder means, piston means coaxial with and connected to said piston rod means so as to form a reciprocable unit therewith, said piston means slidably engaging the inside of said cylinder means and alone dividing the latter into a volume variable first chamber adjacent said partition means and into a volume variable second chamber adjacent said cylinder cover, guiding means connected to said cylinder cover and extending into said second chamber means while being substantially coaxial with said cylinder means, said piston rod means having a first section with a piston rod chamber therein and a closing wall closing said piston rod chamber and facing toward said guiding means, said piston rod means also having a second tubular section telescopically engaging said guiding means, said closing wall having a passage therethrough with a valve seat and an auxiliary valve member selectively closing said last mentioned passage and opening the same for controlling the fluid communication between said piston rod chamber and the interior of said second piston rod section, said second piston rod section being provided with auxiliary paSsage means for continuously establishing communication between the interior of said second piston rod section and said second cylinder chamber, pipe means interconnecting said main valve member and said first piston rod section and operable to establish fluid connection between said inlet means and said piston rod chamber, throttling means arranged in the wall of said second cylinder chamber and communicating with said outlet means, actuating means extending through said guiding means and connected to said auxiliary valve member and operable selectively to move the same away from and onto said valve seat in said closing wall, and spring means associated with said actuating means and continuously urging said auxiliary valve member through said actuating means into position for automatically closing said passage through said closing wall.
 2. A device according to claim 1, in which said tubular section of said piston rod means extends into said second cylinder chamber.
 3. A device according to claim 1, in which said two sections of said piston rod means form separate members connected to each other, and in which said auxiliary valve member is provided in the region where said two sections are connected to each other.
 4. A device according to claim 1, in which said guiding means forms a bolt extending into the tubular section of said piston rod means.
 5. A device according to claim 1, in which a portion of said piston rod means extends into said first chamber means and has a streamlined surface contour.
 6. A device according to claim 1, in which said guiding means has an axial passage therethrough, and in which said actuating means comprises a rod passing through said axial passage, sealing means arranged in said guiding means sealingly surrounding said rod.
 7. A device according to claim 4, in which the outer end of said bolt is provided with a recess and in which the outer end of said actuating means is provided with knob means, spring means being interposed between said knob means and the bottom of said recess. 8.A device according to claim 1, in which that end of said actuating means which is adjacent said auxiliary valve member is needle-shaped and firmly connected to said auxiliary valve member.
 9. A device according to claim 1, in which the wall of said cylinder means comprises a bore extending substantially parallel to the axis of said cylinder means and establishing communication between said throttling means and sait outlet means.
 10. A device according to claim 1, in which said main valve member has a streamlined contour and in which the valve seat of said inlet valve has a conical surface for cooperation with said main valve member.
 11. A device according to claim 1, which includes spring means arranged in said first cylinder chamber and continuously urging said piston means in a direction away from said partition means. 